Explosively actuated compression tool



May 11, 1954 R. TEMPLE EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED COMPRESSION TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 9, 1951 BY ib m $11M;

HTT'OPNE Y May 11, 1954 R TEMPLE 2,677,981

EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED COMPRESSION TOOL Filed Feb. 9, 1951 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 9? --y 8 X I 2.9 22 1 Ag May 11, 1954 R. TEMPLE EXPLOSIVELY ACTUATED COMPRESSION TOOL 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 Filed Feb. 9 1951 INVENTOR.

BY fl bm \fi-M QQ LM ALA arr-aen/era Patented May 11, 1954 UITE STATES ENT OFFICE EXPLQSIVELY ACTUATED COMPRESSION TOOL 11 Claims. i

This invention relates to tools in which a pair of pivoted jaws are swung toward each other by the force of an explosion.

Tools having cooperating pairs of pivoted jaws have many applications. One place they are used is for compressing seals on the overlapping ends of metal straps that bind boxes and the like. Where wide heavy straps are used it is diflicult to use the usual hand operated sealing tools because so much pressure is required to deform the seals to fasten them in place.

It is among the objects of this invention to proide a compression tool that can exert a great deal of pressure without any effort on the part of the operator, which is actuated by an explosive charge, which in each operation first closes and then reopens the jaws of the tool, and. which is guarded against accidental and harmful operation.

In accordance with this invention a pair of opposed levers are pivotally mounted on parallel axes. The lower ends of the levers are provided with jaws. Slidably mounted in the frame above the levers is a rod, near one end of which there is an explosive charge for driving the rod across the frame. Means are provided for operatively connecting the rod to the upper ends of the levers so as to swing the jaws toward each other when the rod is driven across the frame. Preferably,

the rod is driven far enough to first swing the jaws toward each other and then away from each other again so that their normal position is always spread. Most suitably, the upper ends of the levers are connected to the ends of a toggle which is straightened by the rod to swing the jaws toward each other. In one form of the invention each end of the rod is slidably mounted in a difi'erent barrel and the outer end of each barrel is adapted to receive an explosive charge. The charge is placed in the barrel in which the major portion of the rod happens to be located at the time. The charge preferably is mounted in the barrel in such a way that it cannot be fired unless the rod holds the charge close to a firing pin, which requires the member that is to be acted upon by the tool to be located between the jaws. In another form of the invention only one barrel is used for the explosive charge and the rod is always urged away from that barrel by means of a spring. The tool is cooked. by pushing the rod manually against the compression of the spring and then inserting the member that is to be compressed by the tool between the spread jaws to hold the rod adjacent the explosive charge until the latter is fired.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which Fig. l is a plan view of my double acting tool; Fig. 2 is a. side view with the jaws spread full distance and with part of the tool broken away in section; Fig. 3 is a central vertical section showing the tool ready to be fired; Fig. 4 is a side View with the near side plate removed and showing the tool after it has been fired and while the actuating rod is in the middle of its stroke; Fig. 5 is a vertical cross section taken on the line V-V of Fig. l; and Fig. 6 is a view, similar to Fig. 3, of a modification which is a single acting tool.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5 of the drawings, the frame of the tool is formed from a pair of barrels l and 2 between a pair of side plates 3 and i. For convenience of description the tool will be described and claimed as if the side plates are vertical with the barrels between their upper ends, but it will be understood: that the tool not limited to operation in this position, but can be used in any other position. The two barrels are identical and each is provided with a horizontal bore 6. The enlarged inner ends of the barrels are provided with integral extensions projecting toward each other above their bores to space the inner ends of the two bores apart so as to form a downwardly opening recess '5 between them. These barrel extensions engage each other and are aligned by dowel pins 3. The two barrels are held together by bolts 9 passing through them and the upper portions of the two side plates. The outer ends of the barrels extend outward away from the adjacent edges of the side plates and are cylindrical and provided with external screw threads i I so that a cap l2 can be screwed on either barrel for a purpose to be described presently.

Slidably mounted in both barrels are the opposite end portions of an actuating rod is. The intermediate portion of the rod extends across the recess between the barrels and carries a central block 14 which may be integral with it. The length of the rod in relation to the width of this block is such that when the block is inengagement with the inner end of either barrel the rod is not withdrawn from the other barrel.

Extending through the lower corners of side plates 3 and and across the space between them is a pair of parallel horizontal pivot pins [6, the ends of which are threaded and provided with nuts H to hold them in place. The bottom of the side plates between these pins are provided with wide notches I 8 for receiving a conventional strap seal i9 surrounding the end portions of a pair of heavy metal load-binding straps 20. Mounted on the pivot pins between the plates are the opposite ends of several stationary horizontal jaw bars 22, the lower portions of which are provided with notches 23 of the same size and shape as those in the side plates. These bars are spaced apart and from the side plates by means of generally upright levers 24 which are pivotally mounted on pins [6. The lower ends of these levers below the pins have their inner or opposed sides shaped to form jaws 25 that will compress the seal [9 around the straps and cut and bend; side sections of the seal and straps upward in a manner well known in this art. The jaws do this when they are swung toward each other, as shown in Fig. 4, which causes them to press the seal up against the notched bars and the side plates.

In order to swing the jaws, they are operatively connected to block (4 above them. Preferably, the upper ends of the two sets of levers 24 are connected by toggles. The toggles are formed from two sets of links 26 located directly above the jaw bars 22. The outer ends of the links in each set are located between the upper ends of the levers at the corresponding side of the tool and are pivotally connected to them by a horizontal pin 27. The inner ends of the toggle links are pivotally connected to the lower corners of triangular toggle joint plates 28 by means of horizontal pivot pins 29. Each of the two outer joint plates is provided on its outer face with a vertical rib 3| that can slide up and down in a vertical slot 32 in the adjoining side plate. These ribs and slots therefore prevent the joint plates from turning and throwing the toggles out of position. When the toggle joint plates are moved downward to straighten the toggles, the lever jaws 25 are swung toward each other, and when the plates are moved upward to break the toggles the jaws are pulled away from each other. In order to flex the toggles in this manner they are pivotally connected to the block M above them by means of actuating links 33. Thus, the lower ends of these links are disposed between the toggle joint plates, to which they are pivotally connected by a horizontal pin 34. The upper ends of the same links extend up into recesses in the lower part of rod block [4 and are pivotally connected thereto by a pin 36. This pin preferably projects beyond the opposite ends or" the block and into horizontal slots 31 in the side plates. With this arrangement, when the block It is centered between the two barrels and is directly above the center of the toggles as shown in Fig. 4, the actuating links 33 are vertical and the jaws are as close together as they can be swung with this tool. When the block is moved toward either barrel, it raises the center of the toggles and thereby swings the jaws apart.

Before the tool can be operated, rod 13 has to be moved into one of the barrels until its center block engages the inner end of that barrel. This spreads jaws 25 as far as possible, as shown in Fig. 2, and allows them to be set over a strap seal. In order to drive the rod across the frame until its center block strikes the inner end of the other barrel, an explosive charge in the form of a blank cartridge is inserted in a cylindrical cartridge holder ii that is inserted in the outer end of the first barrel 2, with which the cartridge holder has a sliding fit. Inward movement of the cartridge holder is limited by a flange at the outer end of the cartridge holder. This holder is held in bore 6 by means of the cap .12 which is screwed on that end of the barrel. Ordinarily, the cap and cartridge holder are not applied to the barrel until after the tool has been set on the seal, but if they are applied before that time, the cap is not screwed on very far so that the cartridge holder will not prevent the rod from being moved outward in the barrel far enough to fully open the jaws, as shown in Fig. 2.

After the tool has been set on the seal [9, the cap is screwed onto the barrel to cause the cartridge holder to push the actuating rod ahead a little so that the seal will be gripped between the jaws, as shown in Fig. 3. This same inward movement of the cap puts it in position for firing the cartridge, which is accomplished by a firing pin 42 that is slidably mounted in the center of the cap and normally is held in a retracted position by means of a coil spring 43. The enlarged outer end of the pin can be tapped with a hammer to cause the inner end of the pin to detonate the cartridge. The force or" the explosion will drive the rod toward the other side of the frame until it is stopped by center block l4 striking the other barrel 1. The moving center block carries the actuating links 33 from an inclined position through a vertical position to an inclined position at the opposite side of the tool. As the links approach vertical position they strai hten the toggles as shown in Fig. 4, and thereby cause the jaws to compress or clamp the seal on the straps in a well-known manner. While the actuating links continue their movement from vertical to inclined position at the other side of the tool, they raise the centers of the toggles again and thereby swing the lower ends of the jaws away from the seal so that the tool can be removed from it. The tool then is in position for application to the next seal. The cap and breech block are removed from the barrel 2 from which the rod was just driven, and are applied, with a new cartridge, to the outer end of the other barrel 1. When the new cartridge is fired, the rod is shot back across the tool toward the first barrel. Consequently, the explosive force that drives the rod is produced in first one barrel and then the other, and after each sealing operation the tool is left with its jaws spread apart as shown in Fig. 1, ready to receive a new seal.

If this tool is fired when there is no seal between the jaws, the tool is likely to be severely damaged because the cushioning effect due to the resistance of the seal will be absent. To prevent anyone from thus damaging the tool by playing with it when there is no seal between its jaws, resilient means are mounted between the firing cap and cartridge holder for normally holding them apart far enough to prevent the firing pin from striking the cartridge. Also, each barrel is provided with a shoulder 45 that limits the distance the cap can be screwed onto the barrel, so that the cap cannot be screwed up against the cartridge holder when the latter is in its most advanced position in the barrel; i. e. the position shown in Fig. 4. Thus, the inside of cap I 2 directly behind the cartridge holder may be provided with two or more sockets 46, in each of which a cylinder 41 of known design is mounted. The cylinder contains a spring-pressed plunger 48 (Fig. 4) that is urged toward the ad- ,iacent end of the barrel, whereby the plungers normally force the cartridge holder inward away from the cap a distance that is greater than the distance the firing pin can be projected from the cap toward the cartridge. Consequently, if the outer end of the firing pin is struck by a hammer when the parts are in this position, shown in Figs. 1 and 4, the pin will not detonate the cartridge. In order to put the firing mechanism into firing condition, that is, to cook it, the cartridge holder has to be held out against the cap, or close to it. That can be done only by the actuating rod, because "award movement of the cap is limited by shoulder E5. The rod can be held in cooking position, against the resistance of plungers 313, only when there a seal between jaws 25. As shown in Fig. 3, the rod then will keep the cartridge holder from being pushed its full distance into the barrel, and the firing pin will be able to strike the cartridge.

The modified tool shown in 6 is a single acting device, in that it can be fired from only one side. As in the first tool, there is a horizontal actuating rod 5i slidably mounted in two barrels 52 and 53, but barrel E2 is not formed for receiving an explosive charge. Instead, the major portion 5 3 of the bore in this barrel has av diameter somewhat greater than the diam eter of the rod to provide a space for receiving a coil spring 555 that encircles the rod between the inner end of the enlarged portion of the bore and a retaining pin 51 extending transversely through the end of the rod. This spring normally forces the adjoining end of the rod out of the bore to the broken line position, and thus normally holds the center block 53 of the rod against the inner end of barrel 52. This is a safety feature which prevents the tool from being damaged case it is fired when there is no seal. between the jaws. As an additional safety feature, this tool can be provided with the same type of firing mechanism as that described in connection with the first embodiment. That is, the cartridge holder Si) is held away from the firing cap 6! by spring pressed plunger units 82, unless the holder is held in its outer position (as shown) by means of the rod when there is a seal 63 between the jaws 64.

In order to move the actuating rod 5! across the frame against the resistance of coil spring 56, a push rod or the like of any suitable form (not shown) is used to push the normally projecting end of the rod into the adjacent barrel 52. The actuating rod has to be held in this manner until a seal has been placed between the jaws. The rod then can be released, whereupon the spring 55 will move it a short distance in the opposite direction and thus clamp the jaws on the seal as shown. The toolthen can be fired as soon as the firing cap has been screwed up to the shoulder 56 on the barrel, because then the cap will engage the cartridge holder.

According to the provisions of the patent statutes, I have explained the principle of my invention and have illustrated and described what I now consider to represent its best embodiment. However, I desire to have it understood that, within the scope of the appended claims, the invention may be practiced otherwise than as specifically illustrated and described.

I claim:

1. A compression tool comprising frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on p .lel the lower ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod slidably mounted in the frame above said levers, means for supporting an earpl'osive charge at an end of the rod, means supported by the frame for detonating said charge to drive the rod across the frame, and means operatively connecting the rod to the upper ends of said levers for swinging their jaws first toward each other and then away from each other as the rod travels across the frame away from said detonating means.

A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, the lower ends of the levers being shaped to form jaws, the frame being provided with a substantially horizontal barrel above said levers, a rod slidably mounted in the barrel and projecting from its inner end, means for supporting an explosive charge at the outer end of the barrel for driving the rod across the frame, a normally broken toggle pivotally connected to the upper ends of said levers, and means carried by the rod for first straightening and then breaking the toggle as the rod travels across the frame away from said chargesupporting means, whereby the lever jaws are swung first toward and then away from each other.

3. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, the lower ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod disposed in the frame above said levers, the frame being provided with a pair of spaced axially aligned bores slidably receiving the opposite end portions of the rod, means for supporting an explosive charge at the outer end of one of said bores for driving the rod across the frame, and means operatively connected to the central portion of the rod between said bores and to the upper ends of the levers for swinging their jaws toward each other as the rod travels across the frame.

l. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, the lower ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod slidably mounted in the frame above said levers, means for supporting an explosive charge at an end f the rod for driving the rod across the frame, a normally broken toggle pivotally connected to the upper ends of said levers, and a link pivotally connected at its ends to the rod and center of the toggle and normally inclined from the toggle toward said means, the being adapted to be swung by the rod through vertical position to a position inclined away from said means when the rod travels across the frame, whereby the link will swing the lever jaws first toward and then away from each other.

5. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, the lower ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod disposed in the frame above said levers, the frame being provided with a pair of spaced axially aligned barrels slidably receiving the opposite end portions of the rod, the outer ends of the two barrels being provided with external screw threads, means for holding a blank cartridge in the outer end of either barrel, a cap adapted to be screwed on the outer end of either barrel for holding said means in place, a firing pin carried by said cap for detonating the cartridge to drive the rod 7 across the frame, and means operatively connecting portion of the rod between said barrels to the upper ends of said levers for swinging their jaws toward and away from each other as the rod travel across the frame.

6. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, the lower ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod disposed in the frame above said levers, the frame being provided with a barrel slidably receiving an end of the rod, a cartridge holder slidably mounted in the outer end of the barrel and adapted to receive a blank cartridge, a cap screwed on the outer end of the barrel for holding the cartridge holder in the barrel, resilient means disposed between the cartridge holder and cap for normally holding the cartridge holder away from the cap, said rod being adapted to engage the inner end of the cartridge holder and hold its outer end close to the cap when a member to be compressed is gripped between said jaws, a firing pin carried by the cap for detonating the cartridge after the cap and cartridge holder have been brought close together, whereby to drive the rod across the frame, and means operatively connecting the rod to the upper ends of said levers for swinging their jaws toward each other as the rod travels across the frame.

7. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, the lower ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod disposed in the frame above said levers, the frame being provided with a barrel slidably receiving an end of the rod, a cartridge holder slidably mounted in the outer end of the barrel and adapted to receive a blank cartridge, a cap screwed on the outer end of the barrel for holding the cartridge holder in the barrel, the barrel being provided with a shoulder for limiting the distance the cap can be screwed onto it, spring pressed means carried by the cap for normally holding the cartridge holder away from it as long as the cap is spaced a material distance from said shoulder, said rod being adapted to limit the distance the cartridge holder can be pushed into the barrel while a member to be compressed by the jaws is between the jaws, whereby when the cap is screwed up against said shoulder it will substantially engage the cartridge holder, and a firing pin carried by the cap, the pin being too short to strike the cartridge when the cap and cartridge holder are spaced by said spring pressed means, and means operatively connecting the rod to the upper ends of said levers for swinging their jaws toward each other when the cartridge is discharged.

8. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, the lower ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod disposed in the frame above said levers, the frame being provided with a barrel slidably receiving an end of the rod, a breech member at the outer end of the barrel for receiving an explosive charge, firing means carried by the frame for detonating said charge to drive the rod across the frame, means operatively connecting the rod to the upper ends of said levers for swinging their jaws first toward each other and then away from each other as the rod travels across the frame, and a spring connected to the rod and frame end urging the rod in the same direction in which it is driven.

9. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, the lower ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod disposed in the frame above said levers, the frame being provided with a pair of spaced axially aligned bores slidably receiving the opposite end portions of the rod, means for supporting an explosive charge at the outer end of one of said bores for driving the rod across the frame, a coil spring encircling the rod in the other bore, means connecting the outer end of the spring with the rod, the spring being compressed between said last-mentioned means and the inner end of said other bore and urging the rod in the same direction in which it is driven, and means operatively connected to the central portion of the rod between said bores and to the upper ends of the levers for swinging their jaws toward each other as the rod travels across the frame.

10. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel the lover ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod disposed in the frame above said levers, the frame being provided with a pair of spaced axially aligned barrels slidably receiving the opposite end portions of the rod, a coil spring encircling the rod in one of the barrels and abutting against the frame at the inner end of said one barrel, the spring being connected to the rod for urging it toward the outer end of that barrel, means for holding a blank cartridge in the outer end of the other barrel, means for discharging the cartridge to drive the rod back: across the frame after it has been pushed manually across the frame against the resistance of said spring, and means operatively connecting the rod to the upper ends of said levers for swinging their jaws toward and away from each other as the rod travels across the frame,

11. A compression tool comprising a frame, a pair of horizontally spaced opposed levers, means pivotally connecting the levers to the frame on parallel axes, the lower ends of the levers being provided with jaws, a substantially horizontal rod disposed in the frame above said levers, the frame being provided with a pair of spaced axially aligned barrels slid-ably receiving the opposite end portions of the rod, the outer ends of the two barrels being provided with external screw threads, means for holding a blank cartridge in the outer end of either barrel, a cap adapted to be screwed on the outer end of either barrel for holding said means in place, a firing pin carried by said cap for detonating the cartridge to drive the rod across the frame, a pair of toggle links having their outer ends pivotally connected to the upper ends of said levers, an actuating link below the rod between said barrels and having its upper end pivotally connected to the central portion of the rod, and vertically movable connecting members pivotally connecting together the inner ends of the toggle links and the lower end of the actuating link, said actuating link normally being inclined toward the barrel containing a blank cartridge and being adapted to be swung by the rod through vertical position to 9 a position inclined toward the other barrel when the rod is driven across the frame, whereby said connecting members will be moved down and up to swing the lever jaws first toward and then away from each other.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Meatyard Dec. 18, 1883 Number Number 

